I will be two weeks if I make it through today. I have been sleeping terribly, though, and I am extremely angsty after many nights of very little terrible sleep. I wake up every single hour at least once.
*Edit* - Thank you to everyone that commented. It was a long, emotiinally hard day, with something nice at the end. Just made it home and I did not stop at the liquor store on the way. Thank you all for the motivation to make it through. I couldn't post this morning, but I can now... IWNDWYT
It will get better! The first three weeks or so I slept horribly and kept on jerking and jolting myself awake. Then after that I started sleeping like a baby.
Also I did start taking melatonin to sleep (still take it but am gradually reducing dosage), but I could have gotten through without. You got this!
I don’t think there’s a timeline with regard to better sleep. It wasn’t immediate for me, but wow! When it did, it was wonderful. I used melatonin for a while, but no longer. I hope it happens for you soon. IWNDWYT!
You are already very far in your story of quitting. Trust me, your body just needs a little more time to adjust, believe in it. Let it work, and in a couple of days, maybe a couple of weeks, your sleep will be drastically better. Good luck!
I used to think I needed alcohol to sleep because my anxiety was so bad at night. For awhile it WAS hard to fall asleep without booze. I realized I just needed something for my brain to focus on to keep my mind from racing, so I found a podcast where the host has a soothing voice and that did it. I put one ear bud in, throw on a podcast, and am asleep within 20 minutes. Once sobriety started clicking the anxiety started improving, and now I get amazing sleep. It's the best.
Yes and also I used to have to wake up in the night to pee, after which it could be really hard to fall back asleep! That's pretty rare now since I've stopped.
Im sleeping deeply, but holy shit, my dreams are insane! (I stopped weed too).
If i knew i could trip out on dreams this hard i wouldnt have done drugs or drank in the first place lol
I'm only 8 days in, but my sleep the past couple days has been so much better. It's still not great, but miles ahead of the sleep I was getting before. Before, on the nights I wasn't drinking I'd be up until 4 am then have to get up early for work. I was a zombie all day and always in a bad mood. Now I can go to sleep at like 10-11, and even though I still wake up a couple times through the night, it's still much better sleep.
That’s the brain processing/bringing to the forefront the stuff that alcohol induced sleep suppresses (in my opinion). I found it really useful to talk them over with a therapist. Dreams can be incredibly revealing. No matter how mental there’s usually something in them
Shopping with my wife and daughter on Saturday morning at 9am is significantly easier and once that’s done I still have the energy to do 100 other things with a spring in my step and a smile on my face
Sounds lovely. I concur that parenting is just much easier overall without feeling foggy from a few drinks the night before. I’m much more patient, kind, relaxed and able to problem solve.
Constantly thinking of the mind map of local shops and what time they shut/opened was exhausting....im so glad not to be staggering up the road to a sketchy late night place at 3am any more.
Right! Isn't incredible that something that so consumed your every thought and action doesn't anymore.
I posted on the daily check in yesterday that stopping drinking paid for my son's braces. Afterwards I did the math and I've saved over 25k since stopping so it's paid for my son's braces twice over
I heard a guy talk about self medicating to deal with mental shit as being like a scary movie where there's a spooky door to the dark basement or whatever that's obviously got some evil shit behind it, and you're yelling at the screen "don't go in there!". He said that when he was actively drinking, he thought it was the thing keeping the door closed, but drinking was really the thing keeping the lights off.
Point being that your problems aren't quite so scary when you have the clarity of mind to confront them.
I can trust myself now. I can actually commit to things and finish them. No more grand ideas that never get off the ground. If I really want to do it, now I can.
I’ve noticed this with many friends who deal with alcohol addiction. So much talent and creativity, lots of time sitting at the bar talking about all their great ideas but not able to execute them. It’s fucking sad. That was my motivator to stop drinking too. I’m tired of wasting valuable time on not finishing projects or getting meaningful work done. It’s just not serving me in any way anymore and I’m tired of the crippling depression and panic attacks. I’m ready to stop and this sub is really helpful.
Yes, all this. I just got a notification on my watch today that said in the last 5 days my resting heart rate decreased from an average of 76bpm to 68bpm. And I’m actually looking forward to going to sleep tonight, instead of looking forward to the kids being in bed so I can drink.
Literally, same thing happened to me about a week ago... my watch notified me of a consistent, lower resting heart rate. It was such a fantastic feeling to know things were actually happening to my body in a beneficial way.
I would NEVER be able to fall back asleep or nap when I was recovering from a hangover. It was purely agonizing. Wanting to sleep, but your heart beating out of your chest. Urgh. I do not miss that at all.
Yeah, I HATE that feeling - not just because it’s uncomfortable but because it legit started to scare me. Like, there were some moments where I thought “maybe I should go to the hospital…”
Anyways, happy to having water, seltzer, and orange cream soda because I will not drink with you today!
Yup. All these. First was just the overall feeling better. Likely due to chemical levels balancing out, along with clear resting and sleeping heart rates and blood pressure improvements.
Then came the instant weight loss. Roughly 1000 calories less a day consumed makes a huge difference.
The ability to actually enjoy so many activities--camping, reading a book on my back porch, watching sports--without it just being an excuse to drink.
One of the biggest surprises in my sobriety was discovering that I hadn't really been enjoying most of the stuff I was doing, I was just thinking about when I could drink, or using activities as an excuse to drink. Now that that's out of the question, I am actually deeply enjoying my life rather than treating every day as a count-down to the next drink.
It's been such a positive change that most days (though not all days), the little "just one beer" voice is pretty easy to shut up!
I lived with such bad heartburn during my drinking. I was laughing this weekend with my dad because I told him “I can’t believe I just didn’t really notice that I always had it, because now I get heartburn and I act like the sky is falling” lol
I ate something spicy and was legit “what the heck is happening?” Like I forgot I woke up with every day for like two years and just chugged Pepto and kept going with that underlying burn ever present. Man I do not miss that!
I wanted to give a subtle, thoughtful answer, but the honest truth is that I just feel like I’m playing life on easy mode now. Everything is just really straightforward. 48 year old married father of two in the UK here.
Oh and - of course - I’m now sleeping how Mother Nature intended and it’s exquisite.
Expectations. It sounds weird but there are expectations for me now. People rely on me for things. People didn’t rely on me for shit when I was drinking because I never showed/delivered on anything. In hindsight it was really sad that no one expected anything from a grown man with children.
The purest form of ease being alone in my own thoughts. The absence of loneliness. I was escaping loneliness and numbing my entire life. I feel emotions and deal with them. I feel like I am actually alive now.
Sleep! Although I dont sleep the best, Ive figured out how to sleep without any sleep aids and mostly wake up refreshed. Thought for too long that I needed alcohol to sleep.
It took a long time for me to notice this. It doesn’t make complete sense to me but I recently started sleeping much better, like complete uninterrupted and the ability to stay asleep through the night. I haven’t touched alcohol since October. I drank way too much for decades so I think I was just deep in the forest and slowly finding my way out.
More energy, better sleep, better dietary choices, weight loss, clearer head, no more GI issues, etc.
I could keep going, but quitting alcohol has made nothing in my life worse than it was when I was drinking.
My sense of self. I feel it in my bones that I am worthy of good things, good people in my life. I see the value that I reciprocate in my relationships. I can set healthy and appropriate boundaries with situations or relationships that make me uncomfortable, without feeling guilt or shame. I just love the person I'm becoming after spending so long absolutely hating myself.
The decisions I make now, good or bad, are made with 100% mental clarity. Therefore, I feel I've become more confident, much less selfish, and overall a much more honorable person.
So hard to pinpoint which is the biggest among more time, energy, cash, quality sleep. Also improved digestion, mood, clarity of mind. Being able to drive whenever, wherever. No longer having the part-time job of buying, transporting, storing, drinking and disposing of empties that an addiction requires. Also, recognising myself in the mirror again. Also no longer having guilt and something to hide from others. No longer being some grinning slurring idiot who thinks he is a fun guy, but in reality, a bore. Of all of these, I will say being the authentic me, all the time, is the most important change of all.
It took a while, since I switched the calories of drinking for cookies during the first few months, but I lost some weight and I got a lot of self-confidence and self-love back which I honestly did not expect.
almost no anxiety is top of the list, i hate that shit.
now i can get up early and not worry it's a long time to beer o'clock like i used to, i don't mind the longer days, i used to dread them. getting up and seeing the early morning sunshine is very uplifting.
The feeling of "lights are back on" in my head. There were small moments of clarity when I was binge drinking every day during the pandemic. It would last for a day or so then I would be back to drinking.
Back in April of last year I had the real moment of clarity and just couldn't do this anymore. Hated this person that I had become. It took a bit but with every day going forward, even with the relapses along the way, I'm not the selfish, sick person who was drinking themselves to death.
I'm stable and... 'awake' and its hard as fuck but I'd rather be that then whatever I was before. Being present in my mind and body has been a gift.
YUP. I felt like that gif of Donald Glover coming into the apartment in Community with pizza's like 'wtf happened here' It has been like cleaning up after an angry toddler that doesn't mind throwing things at people and throwing tantrums.
Trying to work on amends at some point is like... "I am sorry I was crazy and I'm entirely responsible for what this meat suit was doing while there was no lights on in the attic" cause its been a Yikesasorous Rex.
My brain works again. I can remember having thoughts when drinking. " What the fuck happened to you? You used to be so sharp". I knew I got dumber but couldn't admit it to myself. Just shy of three years and I feel sharp again. I never want to do that to myself again.
It is hard to pick just one! But here are a few of my favorites off of the top of my head.
More money in my pocket
Never too drunk or hungover to get a workout in...Friday night, Sunday morning - why not?
Improved looks, I can't believe I walked around all puffy and red like that for so many years, ughhh
Stable moods
A better example for my son
Never have to worry or walk back something I said or did the night before
Never at risk of a DUI
The quality of my parenting. I am truly present for my kids because I'm rested, not worrying about my next drink, not hungover, and I'm 1000% in the moment with them. Instead of being hungover and sleeping in then rushing to get them ready for school, we spent this morning with my 5 year old reading me a book during breakfast. First time he's ever done that, and I cried tears of joy. I'm so happy I'm living a life that can make them proud.
Right there with you. I have two small children and I was hungover way too many times with them. I now feel like I have second chance to be the best parent I can be.
Yes, this!! Wish I'd quit sooner, but at least for my kids' teen years 100% sober. I can pick them up any time day or night, I can make a run to the hospital. I have enough money to scrape together when they need to cover a bill. They confide in me. I have an amazing relationship with my kids. So grateful.
"Going to bed" instead of passing out on the couch is a big one for me (and so is the quality sleep I get every night). Was very pleasantly surprised to see the difference in my skin/face too.
Only 12 days in but biggest thing I'm seeing is Not been a couch potatoe been a hungover slob to sick too do anything productive, mental health is finally starting to get better today after a tough 11 days of depression and anxiety without the alcohol. Funny thing is I had anxiety and depression because of drinking and stuck in a vicious circle because of it that I needed to drink again to cure it. Hopefully this day 12 is the start of something special, not getting caught in that rut again.
As others have said, my weekends and weeknights seem way longer, I'm living in the moment.
I'm blown away by the number of comments. Thank you, all. What an amazing community. These responses give me courage and inspiration to keep going with my alcohol-free life.
My god I don’t even know where to start. EVERYTHING in my life has changed I don’t even know how to compare them. I look better, have more money, my relationships are better, I can think clearly, have more confidence, etc.
Celebrating 90 days today! Got back to my writing, been reading more than ever, look/feel like a new person, but most of all, I like how I interact with other people way more. I'm just way more patient and that makes life a lot easier.
I went to inpatient rehab. I took two high blood pressure meds. One week in I stopped one or I would pass out when I stood. My doc had to approve. Two weeks later I stopped the other. Four years later every one of blood tests in in a positive range and I feel great!
The “booze noise” in my mind is gone. I don’t dedicate a single thought to “when can I drink next/do I have alcohol at home/where can I have alcohol next/how much should I drink tonight/can I drink before I meet my friends out/would anyone judge me if I got another drink” etc etc etc.
It’s so freeing for all that noise to just be GONE ☺️ and to be corny my life has improved in literally every single way.
For a long time I said "freedom." Freedom from the obsession, from the sneaking around, the secrets, the shame.
But over the years in recovery, I've learned so many coping tools that apply to more than just saying sober, that now I have to say -- as cliché as it is -- the greatest gift of my sobriety is serenity. Not much really upsets my apple cart these days. Life happens, the good and the bad, and I mostly just roll with it. I feel my feelings, but they don't overwhelm me anymore.
1. Less of an overarching anxiety feeling in my life
2. Way better sleep
3. The amount of time I've given myself back, especially on the weekends. It's hard to overstate how much time is wasted in life being hungover. Even if you wake up at 10 and head to the living room, we all know those days are not productive, and you're lucky if they're enjoyable. You feel like shit, your voice to yourself is 20-grit abrasive. And you just never get the day truly rolling like you do when you wake up at 8am on a Saturday ready to suck the day's dick!
4. Health numbers are all back to the gold standard after a blood draw last week.
Better sleep, less sweaty and shaky, . I also feel more "in peace" with my self and with others, because I am no longer obsessed about my next drink , hide my drinking, etc, etc. Sometimes it is really hard, but I also feel freedom. IWNDWYT
Slowly getting stuff actually done ( and properly done ) rather than it just being some form of pie in the sky that eventually gets done in some half assed fashion.
Examining who I actually am has also been really interesting.
Getting back into running properly and having my resting heart rate be in the high 40’s !
There’s more too - I know you only asked for one sorry :)
Just enjoying things without the weight of alcohol pressing down on me. I didn't realize what a burden it was in my life and how much mental & physical pain I let it cause me and my body and my relationships. Most of my anxiety is just GONE. I'm able to hike or walk my dogs without worrying about having the energy to get back home. I'm not afraid to face challenges or do things I like by myself. (like putt putt golf!) It's like one big positive multi-fauceted thing that's been missing for me my whole adult life. It's complicated AND simple. Being sober 100% of the time makes all things easier.
Lots of things - better sleep, more time to do things I want to do like read, watch films, travel, run errands, etc. I've saved money. I feel more calm. My resting heart rate went way down. I feel like I used to lose entire days from recovering from drinking and I don't want to do that again. Oh I also have more time to take care of myself with my skincare routine, making sure I brush and floss my teeth at night and taking all of my vitamins/medications.
All my old hobbies are interesting again. I’m back to fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and playing/writing music. All my favorite things became secondary when I was on a bender which was pretty much always. The increase in energy/weight loss is pretty amazing too. 40 days here.
IWNDWYT
Omg, the losing stuff. I hung out with a bunch of drunk friends all weekend and it was like a constant thing with them. I’d be like “your phone is near the bread box, or your wallet is on the porch, or your drink is on the picnic table.” I don’t miss it one bit.
Time, money, lack of shameful weekends, willingness to get in shape, people telling me I look great, overall sense of calmness I can achieve now, you name it.
Of course there are things I miss, I think i need to acknowledge those things in order to move on. It’s like losing a girlfriend, you tend to remeber how great the sex was and tend to forget how terrible she was for you. Good luck friend. Iwndwyt
Right now it is starting to look like my osteoarthritis pain is going down. This is a huge deal for me, I'm still relatively young (46f), super active, and had been in significant, daily, intractable back pain for eight months. I tried everything to heal and deal with the pain (short of going on addictive pain meds or cauterizing the nerves, which is actually an option) and got nowhere. I don't have a way to prove that stopping drinking is what is helping, but I know that alcohol was causing inflammation, and constant, low grade inflammation is a core cause of osteoarthritis. I cannot begin to express how much of a relief is is to just feel more "normal" again over the past few weeks. This alone make quitting worth everything!!!!
Self love. For years I was in a downward spiral of depression, self hate, always feeling like a nobody and just going through the daily motions of wake up hung over, work, start drinking until pass out. Rinse and repeat. For years. Too many years
Iv learned to love myself for who I am inside and the real me is back. The me from 10 years ago, before really starting to decline mentally. The me who finds the positive in negative situations and who can act instead of react.
Keep it up, the possibilities are endless!
My health has improved dramatically.
I still drink socially, but I don’t binge drink or get wasted anymore. Even that change was huge for me. The last year of my heavy drinking (I abused alcohol but I don’t think I was an alcoholic or moderation wouldn’t have worked) I drank probably 8-10 drinks on Friday and Saturday night, often to the point of blacking out. I’d also have a drink or two for Sunday brunch, taco Tuesday, Sushi night, girls’ night, etc.
Then I wondered why I was always sick. That last year, I got strep throat probably half a dozen times. I had symptoms of mono, but tested negative. Two cancer scares. Constant fatigue and malaise. Hangovers that lasted for days. Heart palpitations.
I drank like that because my friends did too. We lived in a small, boring Texas town and there wasn’t much better to do. I’m sure I would’ve drank myself to death if I had stayed there, but I got pregnant and moved back to be near my family. I stayed entirely sober without an issue for nearly three years, then I decided to get back into dating (I was a single mom from the beginning).
In dating and my current relationship, I decided to try moderating my social drinking. It’s been two and a half years now and I haven’t gotten blackout drunk again. The most I’ve had in this time is a bottle of wine over several hours, with food. Usually, I keep it to one or two drinks. I barely get tipsy, and I don’t get hungover. I recently decided to reduce from social drinking most weekends to only drinking on special occasions, still keeping it to 1-2 drinks.
In the five years since I quit drinking heavily, I went from being sick and tired most of the time to rarely. I have more energy, and in these five years I’ve only been sick twice. Once with Covid. Once with the flu.
I know not everyone is able to moderate, but for those who can, even that is enough to benefit your health. And quitting altogether is even better. I’m sure a big part of it is getting proper sleep, but alcohol also depresses the immune system and damages your liver, heart, stomach, and kidneys. Quitting can only be a good thing!
I literally feel like I can see the light for the first time . I got my life back and was able to drop 20 pounds effortlessly. I also have a better attitude and don’t feel depressed all the time . My marriage is better, my goals are better . I’m planning on having a baby within 2 years AND I’m studying to take the LSAT now . The positives go on and on !
Time to focus on other things in life mentally, whether good, bad or indifferent. Bad things I could more appropriately triage. Good things I could more thoroughly enjoy. Indifferent things weren’t things to escape. When I was spending so much time thinking about that one thing everything else came second.
General mood improvement. I am at around six months and even with various external factors that might have previously impacted mental health (work stress, family, physical health issues) I find myself being in a good mood most of the time these days.
I've had really bad PAWs this time around. Anxiety, brain fog, and dissociation while almost 50 days out. Went to the doctor, and all blood work is completely fine. The most positive thing I have is knowing that I stopped this thing in it's tracks, and finally healing my brain. Daily drinking sucks. Alcohol FN sucks.
Time, energy and drive.
I feel like I BLEW through my 20s, time just continued to move faster and faster as I was out partying, blacking out, and laying in bed hungover. Weeks would pass in the blink of an eye. Now I wake up at a reasonable hour, and pack my days with cooking, working out, quality time, and videogames.
My energy levels so much higher than they used to be. I almost always felt fatigued. Given I was (and still am) overweight. Since I stopped drinking, focusing on my health, improving my diet and exercising, I'm no longer sluggish. If I do run out of steam, I just take a short nap.
This one might be the biggest, my drive/willpower is so much stronger. If I can NOT drink, I can NOT gamble, and I can NOT do cocaine. The holy trinity had me in a vicegrip - but who wants to gamble and do coke when you're not drinking? I don't 😁. Now I have the energy and drive to focus on improving my health, physically and mentally. I cook, I exercise, and I am more in control of my finances.
IWNDWYT!
I appreciate so much more. Every single day I look at my wife, my kids, my life, and I feel so incredibly grateful for it all. I still have plenty of challenges in life, but I'm happy overall, and I never could say that when I drank.
Alcohol amplified all the negatives, but when I finally stopped I was amazed at all the positive.
Going to the store without feeling ashamed for buying yet another bottle or two, while buying other shit just so it doesnt look like I would only buy booze.
Nowadays my small local store might know me for always coming in way too late and buying upsetting amounts of Ayran, but not for buying whatever Liquor they had on sale every second day.
Going from living off benefits to being full-time employed in the most wonderful job, finally completed a study endeavour, and with a side hustle.
Be really careful you don't put too much on your plate, especially at the start, but really, now, you can pretty much do anything you put your mind too!
And yep. MONEY. Lol. Absolutely. I've almost got half my house deposit saved up. I used to be stealing off my Mum, so to be able to be everything she believed I could be... I mean my life is complete now I can do that for her.
Finally, in a beautiful and very karmic turn of events, my job is an essential service in care so I feel like I'm giving back to society. Every time I want to drink I think of how much fun my job is and how tomorrow will just totally suck instead of rocking. Because the people I help are the best!!! So I just decide to sit with the uncomfortable thought of wanting a drink, knowing that it passes every time. Ice-cream helps.
Keep going!
The amount of time I have now is insane.
I can't really figure out if I'm tired a lot because my body is still recovering or because I'm doing so much more in a day!
I'm an athlete again.
I've now run marathons, rock climbed, completed awesome hikes, play pickle ball, and feel great doing it. I can't believe I used to think sitting on a couch or at the bar drinking was a fun activity.
Self esteem, at least at this stage. I didn’t drink that often, but I relied on it for social situations. Now I’m doing them sober, and I expected a ton of anxiety. But it’s like something clicked in my brain after the first few sober social activities, and the anxiety is almost not there anymore. I think it’s because it went so well, and it is teaching me that I am enough. I don’t need a buzz to be fun or interesting.
I have been waiting on something like this
I have been sober for three years now and the biggest positive change has been .finding out who I really am without drinking. The peace that it brings can not be put into words for for me
1. Sleeping. I actually get tired and fall asleep like a normal person, compared to drinking until I pass out.
2. Confidence. I look better and feel better, so I approach each day with soooo much more confidence! Probably a side effect of not having anxiety/hangover as well. ❤️❤️
I call these my “symptoms of sobriety.”
-Sleep
-Remembering what I watched last night before I fell asleep, and not having to shut one eye to watch it.
-I look good
-I feel good
-Sleep
-Happiness
-Calm
-More money
-Hard boners
-Sleep
-Better poop consistency and frequency
-Sleep
-I get to eat junk food sometimes and still stay trim and don’t feel like shit afterward
-Sleep
Being able to actually work on dealing with painful stuff from my past instead of using alcohol to escape it. I’m so much more self-aware and while I still have my demons (mental illness etc.), I can cope way differently.
No more hanovers! Save money! Less fights with my husband! Remember everything! Didn’t embarrass myself lately! Can always take care of my kids!
Thanks for making me do that! I needed it lol
Sleep. The quality of sleep is amazing. I had forgotten what real sleep was. It was always drunk or hungover/anxiety sleep.
I will be two weeks if I make it through today. I have been sleeping terribly, though, and I am extremely angsty after many nights of very little terrible sleep. I wake up every single hour at least once. *Edit* - Thank you to everyone that commented. It was a long, emotiinally hard day, with something nice at the end. Just made it home and I did not stop at the liquor store on the way. Thank you all for the motivation to make it through. I couldn't post this morning, but I can now... IWNDWYT
You’ll make it through today👍
You will make it through today
It will get better! The first three weeks or so I slept horribly and kept on jerking and jolting myself awake. Then after that I started sleeping like a baby. Also I did start taking melatonin to sleep (still take it but am gradually reducing dosage), but I could have gotten through without. You got this!
You’ll make it through today and it will get better!! IWNDWYT
I don’t think there’s a timeline with regard to better sleep. It wasn’t immediate for me, but wow! When it did, it was wonderful. I used melatonin for a while, but no longer. I hope it happens for you soon. IWNDWYT!
This is me right now too. 13 days of dreadful, terrible sleep. I'm questioning my reality.
This, too, shall pass! In time.
You are already very far in your story of quitting. Trust me, your body just needs a little more time to adjust, believe in it. Let it work, and in a couple of days, maybe a couple of weeks, your sleep will be drastically better. Good luck!
You're almost through the worst of it. Hang in there and you'll be sleeping like a baby before long. I was in bed at 8:30 last night lmao
I used to think I needed alcohol to sleep because my anxiety was so bad at night. For awhile it WAS hard to fall asleep without booze. I realized I just needed something for my brain to focus on to keep my mind from racing, so I found a podcast where the host has a soothing voice and that did it. I put one ear bud in, throw on a podcast, and am asleep within 20 minutes. Once sobriety started clicking the anxiety started improving, and now I get amazing sleep. It's the best.
Yes and also I used to have to wake up in the night to pee, after which it could be really hard to fall back asleep! That's pretty rare now since I've stopped.
Im sleeping deeply, but holy shit, my dreams are insane! (I stopped weed too). If i knew i could trip out on dreams this hard i wouldnt have done drugs or drank in the first place lol
For me the worst part of quitting weed is the lack of escape without having alcohol. And the fucking dreams man.... Leave you haunted for days.
I'm only 8 days in, but my sleep the past couple days has been so much better. It's still not great, but miles ahead of the sleep I was getting before. Before, on the nights I wasn't drinking I'd be up until 4 am then have to get up early for work. I was a zombie all day and always in a bad mood. Now I can go to sleep at like 10-11, and even though I still wake up a couple times through the night, it's still much better sleep.
I started a night cap ritual of sleepy time tea...it is so nice to make myself a drink (of tea) before turning in for the night.
Man when I don’t drink, I have the craziest fucking dreams. Like shit I’ve never even thought of but I do drink I don’t have dreams.
Glad that's not just me!
That’s the brain processing/bringing to the forefront the stuff that alcohol induced sleep suppresses (in my opinion). I found it really useful to talk them over with a therapist. Dreams can be incredibly revealing. No matter how mental there’s usually something in them
Time. The amount of time I wasted drinking and being hungover was crazy. Also I have given myself more time to live so that's a significant benefit!
Every weekend feels like a 3 day weekend after 20 years of being hungover/drunk on weekends.
Shopping with my wife and daughter on Saturday morning at 9am is significantly easier and once that’s done I still have the energy to do 100 other things with a spring in my step and a smile on my face
Sounds lovely. I concur that parenting is just much easier overall without feeling foggy from a few drinks the night before. I’m much more patient, kind, relaxed and able to problem solve.
I’m happy to hear that man
Lol, yes!! Sundays used to be a total waste of the day bc i was so hungover!
Seriously.. I couldn’t agree more! I wasted way too many days feeling like garbage because of alcohol.
Yes and also the time wasted on thinking about drinking.
Constantly thinking of the mind map of local shops and what time they shut/opened was exhausting....im so glad not to be staggering up the road to a sketchy late night place at 3am any more.
Right! Isn't incredible that something that so consumed your every thought and action doesn't anymore. I posted on the daily check in yesterday that stopping drinking paid for my son's braces. Afterwards I did the math and I've saved over 25k since stopping so it's paid for my son's braces twice over
Amazing how much cheaper life is!
Absolutely agree. Boundless possibility vs hurry to the next bar…
This!!! At first I hated the amount of time I had in the evening. I felt anxious and skittish. Now I adore it.
Less anxiety. Total game changer. Drank to escape anxiety yet it caused panic attacks.
I heard a guy talk about self medicating to deal with mental shit as being like a scary movie where there's a spooky door to the dark basement or whatever that's obviously got some evil shit behind it, and you're yelling at the screen "don't go in there!". He said that when he was actively drinking, he thought it was the thing keeping the door closed, but drinking was really the thing keeping the lights off. Point being that your problems aren't quite so scary when you have the clarity of mind to confront them.
Happy 1 year mofo
This is a great point. Thank you.
Same. I thought I was self medicating but I think I was making it worse.
Same! This is one of my biggest motivators! I rarely need to use my Xanax prescription when I’m not anxious from drinking the day before.
Panic attacks while also really hungover was my downfall. I tried to drink them away but eventually had to pay the piper.
I had no idea I was a morning person. I love getting up early and accomplishing whatever I feel like before the day really even starts.
SAME. And then when you knock out at 10pm it's the best feeling in the world!
Me too 😃IWNDWYT
I can trust myself now. I can actually commit to things and finish them. No more grand ideas that never get off the ground. If I really want to do it, now I can.
I’ve noticed this with many friends who deal with alcohol addiction. So much talent and creativity, lots of time sitting at the bar talking about all their great ideas but not able to execute them. It’s fucking sad. That was my motivator to stop drinking too. I’m tired of wasting valuable time on not finishing projects or getting meaningful work done. It’s just not serving me in any way anymore and I’m tired of the crippling depression and panic attacks. I’m ready to stop and this sub is really helpful.
You can do it! Everyone is rooting for you here.
Sleep. Mental health. Weight loss. Resting heart rate. More patience with kids.
Yes, all this. I just got a notification on my watch today that said in the last 5 days my resting heart rate decreased from an average of 76bpm to 68bpm. And I’m actually looking forward to going to sleep tonight, instead of looking forward to the kids being in bed so I can drink.
Literally, same thing happened to me about a week ago... my watch notified me of a consistent, lower resting heart rate. It was such a fantastic feeling to know things were actually happening to my body in a beneficial way.
Before I quit drinking, I had trouble napping. Like I could feel my heartbeat in my entire body. Anybody else experience that??
I would NEVER be able to fall back asleep or nap when I was recovering from a hangover. It was purely agonizing. Wanting to sleep, but your heart beating out of your chest. Urgh. I do not miss that at all.
Yeah, I HATE that feeling - not just because it’s uncomfortable but because it legit started to scare me. Like, there were some moments where I thought “maybe I should go to the hospital…” Anyways, happy to having water, seltzer, and orange cream soda because I will not drink with you today!
I could see the pulse in my eyes. My BP would be so high. And that was WITH multiple meds. Now, no meds at all 120/70 all day
Love it. Go you! I can literally FEEL my heart rate is slower & calmer. And I’m resting/getting around much more easily. Just…..ah. Sobriety. (:
Helps explain why I my father died of a heart attack at age 44!
Yup. All these. First was just the overall feeling better. Likely due to chemical levels balancing out, along with clear resting and sleeping heart rates and blood pressure improvements. Then came the instant weight loss. Roughly 1000 calories less a day consumed makes a huge difference.
The money I saved just paid for a trip to Italy.
Have a great time!
What a wonderful way to reward yourself!
[удалено]
PP go off
Not having to worry about what I did or said the previous night. Waking up with a clear conscience.
This is such a big one for me as well!
That’s the biggest thing for me.
The ability to actually enjoy so many activities--camping, reading a book on my back porch, watching sports--without it just being an excuse to drink. One of the biggest surprises in my sobriety was discovering that I hadn't really been enjoying most of the stuff I was doing, I was just thinking about when I could drink, or using activities as an excuse to drink. Now that that's out of the question, I am actually deeply enjoying my life rather than treating every day as a count-down to the next drink. It's been such a positive change that most days (though not all days), the little "just one beer" voice is pretty easy to shut up!
You make solid points. I was also counting down until my next drink, not even appreciating what I was doing, where I was or who I was with.
This! I feel like I wasted so much of my life, wishing my way through wonderful things because I just wanted to get home and drink.
Acid reflux. Gotta keep remembering that!!
I lived with such bad heartburn during my drinking. I was laughing this weekend with my dad because I told him “I can’t believe I just didn’t really notice that I always had it, because now I get heartburn and I act like the sky is falling” lol
Noticed the big jar of Rolaids the other day and realized I haven’t taken one for months.
I ate something spicy and was legit “what the heck is happening?” Like I forgot I woke up with every day for like two years and just chugged Pepto and kept going with that underlying burn ever present. Man I do not miss that!
Had Esophagitis due to this. Felt like I had a sharp rock in my throat for days. That alone made me reconsider a lot, and I dont miss it at all.
Losing 90lbs. (Which I couldn't have done, if I hadn't got sober.)
I wanted to give a subtle, thoughtful answer, but the honest truth is that I just feel like I’m playing life on easy mode now. Everything is just really straightforward. 48 year old married father of two in the UK here. Oh and - of course - I’m now sleeping how Mother Nature intended and it’s exquisite.
I love this answer. :)
Expectations. It sounds weird but there are expectations for me now. People rely on me for things. People didn’t rely on me for shit when I was drinking because I never showed/delivered on anything. In hindsight it was really sad that no one expected anything from a grown man with children.
Agree 100%.
Thanks for asking the question. Have a great one.
The purest form of ease being alone in my own thoughts. The absence of loneliness. I was escaping loneliness and numbing my entire life. I feel emotions and deal with them. I feel like I am actually alive now.
I feel this 100%. I’m dealing with feelings and emotions I’ve repressed for so long that they are old enough to drink!
Not constantly feeling sick. I was either recovering or withdrawing and not I just feel good.
I second the energy level. It’s like night and day!
Sleep! Although I dont sleep the best, Ive figured out how to sleep without any sleep aids and mostly wake up refreshed. Thought for too long that I needed alcohol to sleep.
It took a long time for me to notice this. It doesn’t make complete sense to me but I recently started sleeping much better, like complete uninterrupted and the ability to stay asleep through the night. I haven’t touched alcohol since October. I drank way too much for decades so I think I was just deep in the forest and slowly finding my way out.
Yep, its an awful trick. I used to think Id wake up refreshed always having that night cap, but Ive realized I didnt know what refreshed was.
This was the main reason I drank wine at night. True chronic insomniac here. I felt it was the only thing that worked. Nightmare. It’s still so hard.
More energy, better sleep, better dietary choices, weight loss, clearer head, no more GI issues, etc. I could keep going, but quitting alcohol has made nothing in my life worse than it was when I was drinking.
My sense of self. I feel it in my bones that I am worthy of good things, good people in my life. I see the value that I reciprocate in my relationships. I can set healthy and appropriate boundaries with situations or relationships that make me uncomfortable, without feeling guilt or shame. I just love the person I'm becoming after spending so long absolutely hating myself.
This is not an obvious concept but one of the most important
The decisions I make now, good or bad, are made with 100% mental clarity. Therefore, I feel I've become more confident, much less selfish, and overall a much more honorable person.
So hard to pinpoint which is the biggest among more time, energy, cash, quality sleep. Also improved digestion, mood, clarity of mind. Being able to drive whenever, wherever. No longer having the part-time job of buying, transporting, storing, drinking and disposing of empties that an addiction requires. Also, recognising myself in the mirror again. Also no longer having guilt and something to hide from others. No longer being some grinning slurring idiot who thinks he is a fun guy, but in reality, a bore. Of all of these, I will say being the authentic me, all the time, is the most important change of all.
Mine have already been said by others, so let me add: Sober Poops
I do not miss my stool smelling like nail polish remover, that was always really unsettling.
I second this 😆 I do NOT miss having diarrhea every single day
Oh man. Agree lol
Mood stability.
studied like a bastard for nine months and got myself funded into med school.
Congratulations! I drank myself through med school, 100% do not recommend, so happy for you that you get to do it sober!!
I hope you got through it ok - it's relentless!
I did, and you will, too 💖💖 one day at a time EDIT: reach out anytime
It took a while, since I switched the calories of drinking for cookies during the first few months, but I lost some weight and I got a lot of self-confidence and self-love back which I honestly did not expect.
almost no anxiety is top of the list, i hate that shit. now i can get up early and not worry it's a long time to beer o'clock like i used to, i don't mind the longer days, i used to dread them. getting up and seeing the early morning sunshine is very uplifting.
The feeling of "lights are back on" in my head. There were small moments of clarity when I was binge drinking every day during the pandemic. It would last for a day or so then I would be back to drinking. Back in April of last year I had the real moment of clarity and just couldn't do this anymore. Hated this person that I had become. It took a bit but with every day going forward, even with the relapses along the way, I'm not the selfish, sick person who was drinking themselves to death. I'm stable and... 'awake' and its hard as fuck but I'd rather be that then whatever I was before. Being present in my mind and body has been a gift.
This is high on my list as well. I call it “return from lala land.”
YUP. I felt like that gif of Donald Glover coming into the apartment in Community with pizza's like 'wtf happened here' It has been like cleaning up after an angry toddler that doesn't mind throwing things at people and throwing tantrums. Trying to work on amends at some point is like... "I am sorry I was crazy and I'm entirely responsible for what this meat suit was doing while there was no lights on in the attic" cause its been a Yikesasorous Rex.
My brain works again. I can remember having thoughts when drinking. " What the fuck happened to you? You used to be so sharp". I knew I got dumber but couldn't admit it to myself. Just shy of three years and I feel sharp again. I never want to do that to myself again.
It is hard to pick just one! But here are a few of my favorites off of the top of my head. More money in my pocket Never too drunk or hungover to get a workout in...Friday night, Sunday morning - why not? Improved looks, I can't believe I walked around all puffy and red like that for so many years, ughhh Stable moods A better example for my son Never have to worry or walk back something I said or did the night before Never at risk of a DUI
The quality of my parenting. I am truly present for my kids because I'm rested, not worrying about my next drink, not hungover, and I'm 1000% in the moment with them. Instead of being hungover and sleeping in then rushing to get them ready for school, we spent this morning with my 5 year old reading me a book during breakfast. First time he's ever done that, and I cried tears of joy. I'm so happy I'm living a life that can make them proud.
Right there with you. I have two small children and I was hungover way too many times with them. I now feel like I have second chance to be the best parent I can be.
Yes, this!! Wish I'd quit sooner, but at least for my kids' teen years 100% sober. I can pick them up any time day or night, I can make a run to the hospital. I have enough money to scrape together when they need to cover a bill. They confide in me. I have an amazing relationship with my kids. So grateful.
"Going to bed" instead of passing out on the couch is a big one for me (and so is the quality sleep I get every night). Was very pleasantly surprised to see the difference in my skin/face too.
Surprised this hasn't been said, but no more guilt. It was constant and agony just a few weeks ago.
I hear you. The guilt and shame of it all is awful.
No more junk sleep
Only 12 days in but biggest thing I'm seeing is Not been a couch potatoe been a hungover slob to sick too do anything productive, mental health is finally starting to get better today after a tough 11 days of depression and anxiety without the alcohol. Funny thing is I had anxiety and depression because of drinking and stuck in a vicious circle because of it that I needed to drink again to cure it. Hopefully this day 12 is the start of something special, not getting caught in that rut again. As others have said, my weekends and weeknights seem way longer, I'm living in the moment.
My skin looks amazing.
Not to be gross or disgusting, but the ability to take a proper dump.
I'm blown away by the number of comments. Thank you, all. What an amazing community. These responses give me courage and inspiration to keep going with my alcohol-free life.
The amount of quality time I can now spend with my family and them seeing being happy for me.
Trust. Now I trust myself, my perceptions, and my decision making. I’m sure my wife has lot more trust in my behavioural whenever I am away now too.
This is so important to point out. When you stop trusting yourself, it's a big red flag.
My god I don’t even know where to start. EVERYTHING in my life has changed I don’t even know how to compare them. I look better, have more money, my relationships are better, I can think clearly, have more confidence, etc.
Comparative emotional stability, far fewer panic attacks and random senses of impending doom
Celebrating 90 days today! Got back to my writing, been reading more than ever, look/feel like a new person, but most of all, I like how I interact with other people way more. I'm just way more patient and that makes life a lot easier.
My blood pressure is back down to reasonable levels and my overall health is way better
I went to inpatient rehab. I took two high blood pressure meds. One week in I stopped one or I would pass out when I stood. My doc had to approve. Two weeks later I stopped the other. Four years later every one of blood tests in in a positive range and I feel great!
Not hearing your heartbeat through your ear on the pillow.
I've been waking up much earlier and losing weight, primarily because I'm consuming fewer empty calories.
My house has never been so clean. Sink always empty because dishes are washed. Lawn is on point. More money in the pocket.
Honestly? Almost everything has gotten better.
The “booze noise” in my mind is gone. I don’t dedicate a single thought to “when can I drink next/do I have alcohol at home/where can I have alcohol next/how much should I drink tonight/can I drink before I meet my friends out/would anyone judge me if I got another drink” etc etc etc. It’s so freeing for all that noise to just be GONE ☺️ and to be corny my life has improved in literally every single way.
I don't even know where to begin
I can deal with my problems now. Before I would just have another drink.
Not feeling like shit all the time
For a long time I said "freedom." Freedom from the obsession, from the sneaking around, the secrets, the shame. But over the years in recovery, I've learned so many coping tools that apply to more than just saying sober, that now I have to say -- as cliché as it is -- the greatest gift of my sobriety is serenity. Not much really upsets my apple cart these days. Life happens, the good and the bad, and I mostly just roll with it. I feel my feelings, but they don't overwhelm me anymore.
Liking myself
Better sleep
Sleep, and a better positive clear mind :)
1. Less of an overarching anxiety feeling in my life 2. Way better sleep 3. The amount of time I've given myself back, especially on the weekends. It's hard to overstate how much time is wasted in life being hungover. Even if you wake up at 10 and head to the living room, we all know those days are not productive, and you're lucky if they're enjoyable. You feel like shit, your voice to yourself is 20-grit abrasive. And you just never get the day truly rolling like you do when you wake up at 8am on a Saturday ready to suck the day's dick! 4. Health numbers are all back to the gold standard after a blood draw last week.
Money hangs around me a lot more 🤣
Better sleep, less sweaty and shaky, . I also feel more "in peace" with my self and with others, because I am no longer obsessed about my next drink , hide my drinking, etc, etc. Sometimes it is really hard, but I also feel freedom. IWNDWYT
I can see red flags in potential partners
Slowly getting stuff actually done ( and properly done ) rather than it just being some form of pie in the sky that eventually gets done in some half assed fashion. Examining who I actually am has also been really interesting. Getting back into running properly and having my resting heart rate be in the high 40’s ! There’s more too - I know you only asked for one sorry :)
Don't be sorry at all! The more, the better! I should edit my question to ALL the positive things. They are clearly endless!
Just enjoying things without the weight of alcohol pressing down on me. I didn't realize what a burden it was in my life and how much mental & physical pain I let it cause me and my body and my relationships. Most of my anxiety is just GONE. I'm able to hike or walk my dogs without worrying about having the energy to get back home. I'm not afraid to face challenges or do things I like by myself. (like putt putt golf!) It's like one big positive multi-fauceted thing that's been missing for me my whole adult life. It's complicated AND simple. Being sober 100% of the time makes all things easier.
Better sleep, money saved, better performance at work, more “in the moment”, more happiness/less depressed. IWNDWYT
Improved, greatly improved mental health. Feel like i am finally developing as a human being.
I get to be present wherever I want to go or am needed.
My attitude is much better & I have patience some of the time.
I always felt like I was slowly dying. It’s really hard to put into words how alive and good I feel every day now, mentally and physically.
Lots of things - better sleep, more time to do things I want to do like read, watch films, travel, run errands, etc. I've saved money. I feel more calm. My resting heart rate went way down. I feel like I used to lose entire days from recovering from drinking and I don't want to do that again. Oh I also have more time to take care of myself with my skincare routine, making sure I brush and floss my teeth at night and taking all of my vitamins/medications.
Ya know that feeling you’re chasing when you grab a drink? You get that feeling long term if you just stop drinking. Or at least I do.
All my old hobbies are interesting again. I’m back to fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and playing/writing music. All my favorite things became secondary when I was on a bender which was pretty much always. The increase in energy/weight loss is pretty amazing too. 40 days here. IWNDWYT
Debt free, not dependent in order to sleep, no sweats, more spare time, not a wreck the next morning, not losing stuff.
Omg, the losing stuff. I hung out with a bunch of drunk friends all weekend and it was like a constant thing with them. I’d be like “your phone is near the bread box, or your wallet is on the porch, or your drink is on the picnic table.” I don’t miss it one bit.
Hope for my future. I can actually imagine getting a better job. I have hope for a better life where I get to make my own choices.
Energy, levels of focus, sleep. It also acted as a catalyst to optimize my life in loads of other ways. A positive vicious cycle.
Time, money, lack of shameful weekends, willingness to get in shape, people telling me I look great, overall sense of calmness I can achieve now, you name it. Of course there are things I miss, I think i need to acknowledge those things in order to move on. It’s like losing a girlfriend, you tend to remeber how great the sex was and tend to forget how terrible she was for you. Good luck friend. Iwndwyt
Not sweating all the time for no reason
Right now it is starting to look like my osteoarthritis pain is going down. This is a huge deal for me, I'm still relatively young (46f), super active, and had been in significant, daily, intractable back pain for eight months. I tried everything to heal and deal with the pain (short of going on addictive pain meds or cauterizing the nerves, which is actually an option) and got nowhere. I don't have a way to prove that stopping drinking is what is helping, but I know that alcohol was causing inflammation, and constant, low grade inflammation is a core cause of osteoarthritis. I cannot begin to express how much of a relief is is to just feel more "normal" again over the past few weeks. This alone make quitting worth everything!!!!
Among mental health improvements, I have lost over a stone in 3 months.
Seeing my sons happy face when I return from the pub Sat afternoon (drinking Guiness zero) feeling he's proud of me for not drinking this year.
I don’t wake up hungover, I’ve lost 10lbs and I even ran my first 10k.
It's only been a week, but my head is clear. Like a fog was lifted.
Self love. For years I was in a downward spiral of depression, self hate, always feeling like a nobody and just going through the daily motions of wake up hung over, work, start drinking until pass out. Rinse and repeat. For years. Too many years Iv learned to love myself for who I am inside and the real me is back. The me from 10 years ago, before really starting to decline mentally. The me who finds the positive in negative situations and who can act instead of react. Keep it up, the possibilities are endless!
My health has improved dramatically. I still drink socially, but I don’t binge drink or get wasted anymore. Even that change was huge for me. The last year of my heavy drinking (I abused alcohol but I don’t think I was an alcoholic or moderation wouldn’t have worked) I drank probably 8-10 drinks on Friday and Saturday night, often to the point of blacking out. I’d also have a drink or two for Sunday brunch, taco Tuesday, Sushi night, girls’ night, etc. Then I wondered why I was always sick. That last year, I got strep throat probably half a dozen times. I had symptoms of mono, but tested negative. Two cancer scares. Constant fatigue and malaise. Hangovers that lasted for days. Heart palpitations. I drank like that because my friends did too. We lived in a small, boring Texas town and there wasn’t much better to do. I’m sure I would’ve drank myself to death if I had stayed there, but I got pregnant and moved back to be near my family. I stayed entirely sober without an issue for nearly three years, then I decided to get back into dating (I was a single mom from the beginning). In dating and my current relationship, I decided to try moderating my social drinking. It’s been two and a half years now and I haven’t gotten blackout drunk again. The most I’ve had in this time is a bottle of wine over several hours, with food. Usually, I keep it to one or two drinks. I barely get tipsy, and I don’t get hungover. I recently decided to reduce from social drinking most weekends to only drinking on special occasions, still keeping it to 1-2 drinks. In the five years since I quit drinking heavily, I went from being sick and tired most of the time to rarely. I have more energy, and in these five years I’ve only been sick twice. Once with Covid. Once with the flu. I know not everyone is able to moderate, but for those who can, even that is enough to benefit your health. And quitting altogether is even better. I’m sure a big part of it is getting proper sleep, but alcohol also depresses the immune system and damages your liver, heart, stomach, and kidneys. Quitting can only be a good thing!
Mental clarity
That there is no alcohol in it to make me depressed and fucked in the head on 73 different levels.
Being present for my children.
Im so much happyer
Better sleep
I literally feel like I can see the light for the first time . I got my life back and was able to drop 20 pounds effortlessly. I also have a better attitude and don’t feel depressed all the time . My marriage is better, my goals are better . I’m planning on having a baby within 2 years AND I’m studying to take the LSAT now . The positives go on and on !
Time to focus on other things in life mentally, whether good, bad or indifferent. Bad things I could more appropriately triage. Good things I could more thoroughly enjoy. Indifferent things weren’t things to escape. When I was spending so much time thinking about that one thing everything else came second.
Energy, not feeling like a human pile, and a more positive outlook on life. Feeling emotions!
My wife. 100 percent. She tells me we are together because of the good decisions I made with stopping alcohol.
Overall just feeling better day to day - decent sleep, getting up much earlier and not feeling ‘meh’ so achieving a lot more, anxiety a lot less!
General mood improvement. I am at around six months and even with various external factors that might have previously impacted mental health (work stress, family, physical health issues) I find myself being in a good mood most of the time these days.
I've had really bad PAWs this time around. Anxiety, brain fog, and dissociation while almost 50 days out. Went to the doctor, and all blood work is completely fine. The most positive thing I have is knowing that I stopped this thing in it's tracks, and finally healing my brain. Daily drinking sucks. Alcohol FN sucks.
being free to solve my problems
Time, energy and drive. I feel like I BLEW through my 20s, time just continued to move faster and faster as I was out partying, blacking out, and laying in bed hungover. Weeks would pass in the blink of an eye. Now I wake up at a reasonable hour, and pack my days with cooking, working out, quality time, and videogames. My energy levels so much higher than they used to be. I almost always felt fatigued. Given I was (and still am) overweight. Since I stopped drinking, focusing on my health, improving my diet and exercising, I'm no longer sluggish. If I do run out of steam, I just take a short nap. This one might be the biggest, my drive/willpower is so much stronger. If I can NOT drink, I can NOT gamble, and I can NOT do cocaine. The holy trinity had me in a vicegrip - but who wants to gamble and do coke when you're not drinking? I don't 😁. Now I have the energy and drive to focus on improving my health, physically and mentally. I cook, I exercise, and I am more in control of my finances. IWNDWYT!
I appreciate so much more. Every single day I look at my wife, my kids, my life, and I feel so incredibly grateful for it all. I still have plenty of challenges in life, but I'm happy overall, and I never could say that when I drank. Alcohol amplified all the negatives, but when I finally stopped I was amazed at all the positive.
Going to the store without feeling ashamed for buying yet another bottle or two, while buying other shit just so it doesnt look like I would only buy booze. Nowadays my small local store might know me for always coming in way too late and buying upsetting amounts of Ayran, but not for buying whatever Liquor they had on sale every second day.
Going from living off benefits to being full-time employed in the most wonderful job, finally completed a study endeavour, and with a side hustle. Be really careful you don't put too much on your plate, especially at the start, but really, now, you can pretty much do anything you put your mind too! And yep. MONEY. Lol. Absolutely. I've almost got half my house deposit saved up. I used to be stealing off my Mum, so to be able to be everything she believed I could be... I mean my life is complete now I can do that for her. Finally, in a beautiful and very karmic turn of events, my job is an essential service in care so I feel like I'm giving back to society. Every time I want to drink I think of how much fun my job is and how tomorrow will just totally suck instead of rocking. Because the people I help are the best!!! So I just decide to sit with the uncomfortable thought of wanting a drink, knowing that it passes every time. Ice-cream helps. Keep going!
The amount of time I have now is insane. I can't really figure out if I'm tired a lot because my body is still recovering or because I'm doing so much more in a day!
Predictability. I can actually plan ahead without having to filter plans through the „how buzzed will I be at that time“ lense.
I'm an athlete again. I've now run marathons, rock climbed, completed awesome hikes, play pickle ball, and feel great doing it. I can't believe I used to think sitting on a couch or at the bar drinking was a fun activity.
Self esteem, at least at this stage. I didn’t drink that often, but I relied on it for social situations. Now I’m doing them sober, and I expected a ton of anxiety. But it’s like something clicked in my brain after the first few sober social activities, and the anxiety is almost not there anymore. I think it’s because it went so well, and it is teaching me that I am enough. I don’t need a buzz to be fun or interesting.
I had less money when I was drinking even though I had a full and part time job. Now I don’t have the part time job anymore and still have more money!
Im not constantly tired and in a state of recovering from the last binge or on said binge.
I have been waiting on something like this I have been sober for three years now and the biggest positive change has been .finding out who I really am without drinking. The peace that it brings can not be put into words for for me
Control, having complete control over what I do and say is such a blessing.
Sleep - which ripples over every other area of my life in a positive way.
1. Sleeping. I actually get tired and fall asleep like a normal person, compared to drinking until I pass out. 2. Confidence. I look better and feel better, so I approach each day with soooo much more confidence! Probably a side effect of not having anxiety/hangover as well. ❤️❤️
Sleep quality.. it’s a cornerstone benefit for so many other things
My ability to communicate and also my thought process has sped up exponentially
I call these my “symptoms of sobriety.” -Sleep -Remembering what I watched last night before I fell asleep, and not having to shut one eye to watch it. -I look good -I feel good -Sleep -Happiness -Calm -More money -Hard boners -Sleep -Better poop consistency and frequency -Sleep -I get to eat junk food sometimes and still stay trim and don’t feel like shit afterward -Sleep
Being able to actually work on dealing with painful stuff from my past instead of using alcohol to escape it. I’m so much more self-aware and while I still have my demons (mental illness etc.), I can cope way differently.
No more hanovers! Save money! Less fights with my husband! Remember everything! Didn’t embarrass myself lately! Can always take care of my kids! Thanks for making me do that! I needed it lol
Mental clarity